Katinka Hosszú, also known as the “Iron Lady”, is a Hungarian competitive swimmer specializing in the individual medley events. Throughout her career, she broke many records and won countless medals.
Hosszú is a three-time Olympic champion and a nine-time world long-distance champion. In addition to her successful swimming career, she also owns a swimming school and swimming club in Budapest called Iron Swim Budapest. She is also co-owner and captain of Team Iron, a founding member of the International Swimming Federation.
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- Full name: Katinka Hosszú
- Stage name: “The Iron Lady”
- Date of birth: May 3, 1989
- Age: 35 years old
- Place of birth: Pecs, Hungary
- Nationality: Hungarian
- Profession: Hungarian swimmer
- Height: 1.7 m
- Parents: Barbara Bakos and István Hosszú
- Siblings: Gergely Hosszú and Ádám Hosszú
- Spouse: Shane Tusup (m. 2013–2019), Máté Gelencsér (m.2022)
- Children: Kamila Layber-Gelencsér
- Relationship: Married
- Net worth: $1.5 million
Early life and education
Katinka Hosszú was born on May 3, 1989 in Pécs, Hungary. She is the daughter of Barbara Bakos and István Hosszú. Katinka is the youngest of three siblings, with two older brothers named Gergely and Ádám, both of whom pursued basketball careers.
She graduated from the University of Southern California in 2012 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Katinka is ethnically Hungarian and her religion is not known to the public.
Career
Katinka Hosszú, Hungarian competitive swimmer, began her international career in the early 2000s. She made her Olympic debut at age 15 in the 2004 Summer Olympics, competing in the 200 meters freestyle and finished 31st.
She won her first medal later that year at the European Short Course Championships, winning bronze in the 400 meter individual medley. In 2005, she won the European Youth Championships, winning gold medals in three events and silver medals in two others. Hosszú’s rise continued with her first long-distance medal at the 2008 European Championships.
By 2009, Hosszú had established his reputation on the world stage by winning two bronze medals in the 200 meter individual medley and 200 meter butterfly at the World Championships. She won her first world championship gold medal in the 400 meter individual medley.
In 2010, she won multiple European titles, including gold medals in the 200 meter butterfly and 200 meter medley, further cementing her dominance. During his college years, Hosszú continued to excel, winning national championships and awards such as Pac-10 Swimmer of the Year and the 2011 Honda Sports Award.
At the 2012 Olympics, Hosszú faced disappointment when he finished fourth in the 400 meter individual medley and missed the final in the 200 meter butterfly. However, she made a remarkable comeback in 2013, winning three medals at the World Championships and earning the nickname “The Iron Lady.”
In 2014, she broke several world records in the backstroke and individual medley events. By 2015, she had added to her legacy, winning six gold medals at the European Short Course Championships and breaking multiple world records.
Social Media
- Instagram handle: @hosszukatinka
- Facebook manager: Katinka Hosszu
- Twitter name: @HosszuKatinka
Personal life
Katinka Hosszú was married twice. She was previously married to Shane Tusup, her coach. They married in 2013 but faced many challenges, including claims of infidelity, which led to a career split in 2019 and eventual divorce.
After her divorce from Tusup, Katinka began a relationship with Máté Gelencsér, whom she married in 2022. They have one child together, a daughter named Kamila Layber-Gelencsér, born in August 2023 .
Net worth
Katinka Hosszú, a famous Hungarian swimmer, has an estimated net worth of over $1.5 million as of 2021, making her one of the wealthiest athletes in Hungary.
She is famous for being the first swimmer to earn over $1 million from prize money alone and has effectively leveraged her brand through endorsements and her swimming school, Iron Swim Budapest.
